Deputy Director: Transformations - Barber Institute of Fine Art - 59934 - Grade 8

Job Description

Position Details

Barber Institute of Fine Art

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £46,735 to £55,755 with potential progression once in post to £62,728

Grade: 8

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to June 2027

Closing date: 21st May 2025

UK and International travel may be required for this role

 

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

Background

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is an internationally important art collection, gallery and concert hall housed in a Grade 1 listed Art Deco building, located at the heart of the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston campus.

Established in 1932 ‘for the study and encouragement of Art and Music’, our mission derives from the far-sighted vision of our founder, Lady Barber. The Barber uses its world-class collections to create inspirational opportunities for learning and enjoyment for students, staff and the wider public.

The Barber Institute is one of the UK’s foremost university arts centres and enjoys an international reputation for its art collection and exhibitions and its concert programme. Often described as a mini National Gallery for the Midlands, its collection includes masterpieces by many of the major names in the history of western art, including Botticelli, Rubens, Vigée-Lebrun, Turner, Rossetti, Monet, Degas, Renoir and Van Gogh, among others. Its collection of Roman, Byzantine and mediaeval coins is one of the most important in the world. The Barber team organise a popular and successful programme of exhibitions and displays, along with an innovative, critically engaged learning and engagement programmes. Access to the Barber’s collections, exhibitions and the majority of its public programmes is free for all. 

The Barber is embarking on a transformation project in 2025. This is an exciting and critical project, which will encompass both physical and strategic change, transforming the museum. The Barber’s building will be closed from the 27 Jan 2025 until 2026, when we expect to re-open. During its closure to the public, the Barber will tour its collections nationally and develop new core initiatives that will support its re-opening and ambitious future plans. 

For further information please visit our website at www.barber.org.uk .

Role Summary

This senior position works closely with the Director and Senior Management team. The post holder contributes strategic and practical leadership for four core areas of exciting transformation that are taking place at the Barber over the next two years: its building, its identity, its business modelling, and its people and working culture. 

The post holder is the Director’s Deputy in these areas with a particular responsibility towards two major stakeholders, the University of Birmingham, its organisation, staff and students, and the Barber’s public communities. The post holder works closely with the Director and the Deputy Director: Collections and Research (DD C&R) in setting the forward agenda for the Barber. They are a visible and active advocate for the Barber internally and externally, representing the Barber in professional networks, relevant sector sharing events and collaborations. The post holder researches, initiates, develops and sustains productive relationships across all Colleges of the University, actively promoting the Barber’s unique contribution to the Birmingham 2030 strategic framework. 

The Deputy Director: Transformations leads on the strategic-change and practical management of the Barber’s forthcoming capital works programme. Acting for the Barber, they will work closely with its project managers in the University Estate’s teams and with colleagues at the Barber including the Head of Operations (whom the post-holder line manages), ensuring that the capital programme is delivered to the highest standards that it reflect the Barber’s mission and values. They will support the development of funding bids relating to the project and manage reporting and evaluation streams. This capital work (management, fundraising, reporting) is core to the role and it is likely to occupy a significant proportion of the post-holders time initially. 

Alongside these physical transformations, the Barber is working on a revised forward plan and visual identity and communications strategy that can better reflect its future ambitions and values. Working closely with the Communications and Marketing Manager (whom the post holder line manages) and the Head of Learning and Engagement, the post holder will lead the practical delivery of this aspect of the transformation. 

Alongside these changes, the post holder will support the Director to reshape the organisation’s business plans, with particular attention to income generation strategies. Lastly, the post holder will work with the Director and the College’s HR team, to support staff through this period of change, particularly with regards to the development of working cultures, training, and supporting HR processes. The post holder has responsibility for ensuring that commensurate values and practices inflect day-to-day working and forward planning across the Barber, championing Wellbeing, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and a supportive and reflective whole team culture.

Main Duties

Strategy, Management and Leadership:

• Work closely with the Director, the DD: C&R, and Senior Management team to shape the Barber’s forward planning and development: this includes its mission and values and business/financial planning. Work with the Senior Team to align the Barber to best and ambitious practice within both the museum sector and university context, keeping audiences in focus, capitalising on opportunities, and negotiating challenges as they arise.
• Act as the lead contact for the Barber for its physical transformation project. Support the Director to ensure that the project is managed effectively and delivered to the highest standards. Work closely and constructively with the Head of Operations and project leads in Estates, as well as the project architects and contractors. 
• Work closely with the Director and Communications and Marketing Manager, shape the strategy for identity and communications at the Barber that reflects its mission and aims. Lead the development of a new identity, website and suite of marketing materials. 
• Lead and support positive change to working environments and cultures that will result from the physical transformation of the Barber’s building. Support HR processes. Lead on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at the Barber, including the development and implementation of an Equality Action Plan, working collaboratively with Barber colleagues across departments and key UoB contacts. 
• Working closely with the Director, and supported by the Finance Officer and senior business partners within the College of Arts and Law, support the development of sustainable financial models for the Barber, with particular attention on the development of income generation from retail and events.
• Support the Director in formulating the Barber’s fundraising and development activities relating to the capital project, identify relevant funding sources and build and sustain positive relationships with existing funders. Lead the management of evaluation and reporting in relation to these funding streams and ensure the agreed outcomes are met.

Additional Duties

Advocacy and Communication:

• Support the Barber in profile-raising activities, including cultivating donors/supporters/partners, hosting VIPs, promoting and representing the Barber.
• Present the Barber’s ambitions, activities and achievements as required to University, city, regional and national.
• Initiate, build and sustain strategic engagement relationships across the university, city, region and nationally, creating, seeking out and pursing profile-raising and advocacy opportunities.

People Management and Development:

• Line manage the Operations Manager, Communications and Marketing Manager, and Finance Assistant, delivering effective, supportive and positive line-management and supporting them in developing best practice and continual professional development (CPD).
• Support the Director to deliver the Barber’s business planning and development.
• Responsible for monitoring the delivery of staff training across the Barber, ensuring that mandatory training requirements are fulfilled and documented, working with the wider management team to plan and implement relevant shared training and CPD opportunities across teams for the benefit of the Barber. 
• Lead on Barber staff engagement and development initiatives to nurture a whole team culture of sharing practice, promoting team cohesion and enhancing workplace wellbeing to support the Barber achieve its strategic goals and fulfil its mission. 
• Implement efficient, productive and effective working processes across the Barber, identifying systems, procedures and tools to streamline and support all aspects of the Barber’s operations to better utilise resources and deliver on strategic aims.
• Internal lead for the effective and accurate implementation of UoB HR policy and procedure at the Barber.

Financial Management: 

• Oversee the effective management of relevant assigned departmental budgets, delegating as appropriate.
• Lead on the Barber’s commercial operations, to include retail, catering sales, event hire and other income streams, ensuring they deliver on the Barber’s business and forward plan objectives and align with the Barber’s core values and brand.

Other:

• Actively participate in and contribute to the museums, gallery and heritage sector, acting as an ambassador for the Barber and seeking opportunities to share practice and build networks.
• Proactively engage in continuous CPD, seeking out opportunities and positively engaging in learning and development opportunities in consultation with the Director.
• Be a visible, proactive and supportive presence at offsite partnerships events whilst the Barber’s building is closed.
• The post holder is permanently listed as a senior leadership contact on the Barber’s emergency callout rota, participating proactively in real-time emergency and disaster response as required. 
• As part of the Barber’s senior team, contribute to the general management and running of the Barber.
• Working Monday to Friday, the post holder will be required to work flexibly at other times to include weekends and evenings as required by the operational needs of the Barber. 
• This role requires satisfactory clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
• Actively manage equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour. 
• Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working. 
• Any other duties commensurate with the post. 

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

Essential:

• Educated to degree level in a relevant and related subject.
• Considerable experience within the museum, gallery or a related cultural sector at an appropriate level of seniority and responsibility. 
• A successful track record of leading on capital development or change/transformation projects, or strategic operational functions. 
• Experience of leading and motivating teams, and initiating and managing change for the benefit of the team and/or organisation.
• Considerable experience of developing, project managing and delivering strategic projects in a museum, gallery or culture environment.
• Successful track record of identifying, developing funding streams and partnerships, and reporting on these effectively.
• Demonstrable experience of managing complex budgets, financial reporting and business planning. 
• Successful track record of developing and leading an effective brand or communications strategy. 
• A highly developed awareness of, and passion for, the potential of art and culture to transform lives and contribute to understanding and learning, enjoyment and enhanced lived experience for people of all ages and from all walks of life.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, able to communicate professionally and persuasively with a diverse range of people including external opinion formers, senior colleagues, partners, funders, user groups.
• Demonstrable high standard of literacy and ability to write compelling documents, produce accurate reports and create engaging presentations.
• Proven ability to negotiate complex relationships, inspire trust and forge effective collaborative working and partnerships. 
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage own time effectively, multi-task as needed and prioritise efficiently.
• Creative, positive, future-focussed approach to problem-solving, business planning and people management.
• Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in own work area. 
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied. 
• Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action.

Desirable:

• Post-graduate qualification in related area or business, management, leadership qualification. 
• Experience of delivering capital development projects within museums. 

Role context

Roles at this level provide authoritative professional advice across a range of activities and/or will lead and manage diverse team(s) and resources. You will use your professional skills to resolve problems where the solution is not immediately apparent. Significant evaluation and independent thought is therefore required to resolve ambiguity. You will have wide discretion to decide on direction whilst ensuring activities are broadly consistent with operational policies. You will be able to influence policy through advising on the impact of policy change and implementation in your area of work. You will need to assess the impact of your activities across your area, with related areas and to ensure they fit with the broader objectives of the University. 

Core competencies/transferable skills

Working at this level you will be able to develop and successfully use the following core competencies/transferable skills in each of the areas shown below. You will be expected to take ownership for getting things done, including calling on or joining others to assist. You will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting your department and wider University. 

Planning and organising 

• provide professional expertise, and manage resources and/or a diverse team;
• integrate and co-ordinate work across different parts of the department/university;
• lead and manage staff who are likely to be carrying out diverse duties, and ensure collaborative working to deliver a successful service;
• project manage activities to facilitate major changes;
• develop policy within functional guidelines, and contribute to strategic development within own area;
• be accountable for the quality and professionalism of service delivery, with an appreciation of longer term issues.

Problem solving and decision making 

• anticipate, interpret and assess customer needs, identifying trends, generating original ideas and testing innovative solutions; 
• deal with significant people management issues such as change programmes;
• resolve issues which may not have arisen before through use of experience and judgement. 

Organisational understanding 

• has an excellent understanding of their own working area and a broad understanding of the contribution other areas make to the success of the University; 
• has an excellent understanding of how the University operates, together with an understanding of how academia operates in the UK;
• demonstrates empathy with the academic endeavour and seeks to encourage others to do so. 

Relationships and communication

• use coaching skills to motivate and develop staff;
• proactively and sensitively manage the performance of their team and create a motivating environment;
• influence others (including across the University) to follow a particular course of action;
• represent the department at internal and external meetings/events/network with colleagues in other institutions to share best practice.

DBS required

The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment.

 

Informal enquiries to Jennifer Powell, email: j.powell.2@bham.ac.uk  

View our staff values and behaviours here  

 

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website .

Job Info

• Job Identification 6927
• Job Category Manager
• Posting Date 04/22/2025, 07:01 PM
• Apply Before 05/21/2025, 06:59 PM
• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2TT, GB University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2TS, GB